NPP SERIES VISITS LETHBRIDGE FOR THE FIRST TIMEEDMONTON, AB (June 1)– The $100,000 Northern Provincial Pipeline Late Model Series takes its show on the road this weekend to Lethbridge, Alberta. It’s a first time visit for the series to Bridge County Raceway. All drivers are excited and a little anxious and about the race this Saturday night June 3rd. “I’ve never raced at the track before,” says current point leader and defending season champion Trevor Emond. “I don’t think anyone else in our series has raced in Lethbridge before either, so it should be interesting.” Emond is off to his best season start ever with consecutive Feature event wins in Rimbey and Edmonton. The Leduc, Alberta driver hopes to grab his third win in a row this weekend on the big half mile track. “The #71 team is sure going to try (for the victory), were sure looking forward to the faster speeds.” Emond is not the only one looking forward to the faster speeds. Sedgewick Alberta’s Tim Beausoliel indicates this will probably be the fastest stock car show ever to hit the Lethbridge track. “The track could be an engine eater, I hope we’re ready and do well for the fans.” Beausoliel had one of his best ever finishes in an NPP Late Model last Saturday night in Edmonton finishing 3rd in the Feature. Sitting fourth in points heading into the Lethbridge race this weekend is Edson Alberta’s Dwight Kennedy. “Trevor’s won two races in a row. It’s time to bring his streak to an end!” says the 2001 series champion. “The Lethbridge track will be new experence for everyone Saturday night.” Kennedy won the first ever race at Central Alberta Raceway in Rimbey, Alberta last summer so the driver of the #81 hopes history repeats itself in Lethbridge this weekend. Bridge County Raceway is the biggest track the N.P.P. Late Model Series will visit in 2006. It most likely will be the fastest race in the six year history of the series.

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NPP SERIES TO HELP LETHBRIDGE SOCCER CLUBEDMONTON, AB (June 2) - The Northern Provincial Pipelines Ltd. Late Model series heads to Bridge County Raceway in Lethbridge this weekend. NPP Late Model race teams are proud to lend a hand to the young stars of the Lethbridge Chargers Soccer Club. This under 12 girls soccer team is holding a BBQ fundraiser at Bridge City Chrysler from 11AM - 2PM on Saturday, June 3rd. All monies raised from the BBQ will go towards a major soccer trip planned for later this year. The Chargers head to the Provincials to be held in Bonnyville, Alberta (September 8 - 10). Several NPP Late Model race teams will have their race cars on display. Several drivers may even lend a hand at flipping a few burgers as well.

SUCCESSFUL NPP SERIES DEBUT IN LETHBRIDGELETHBRIDGE, AB.(June 4) - The $100, 000 Northern Provincial Pipelines Late Model Series touched down at Bridge County Raceway in Lethbridge, Alberta on Saturday night. A total of 18 race teams made the trek to southern Alberta. Local newspaper coverage suggested the evening would come down to a battle between two of the series heavy weights. The newspaper was right. Current point leader Trevor Emond had his winning streak snapped at two as Dwight Kennedy won his first Feature event of the season. "The car is working good" says the Edson, Alberta driver, "I hope to keep it that way for the rest of the season." Kennedy who drove his Dodge Charger to victory lane adds the win is especially nice because the entire race event was sponsored by Bridge City Chrysler. "I told Clarence (dealership owner) that because a Dodge won, I'm going to ask for twice the prize money for next years race." The big win, pushes Kennedy up two spots in the standings to number two. Even though the streak is over, current point leader Trevor Emond still managed an incredible second place showing behind Kennedy. "We didn't quite have the run we wanted tonight." says the Leduc Alberta driver, "The track was still fast even though it was a little dry and dusty for the feature. If it had stayed tacky and held the moisture they're might have been a different outcome tonight." Third place in the Feature went to a competitor that hadn't been behind the wheel of an N.P.P. Late Model in almost a year. "It was a bit of a struggle early trying to get the car to where we wanted it." says Jason Beaulieu of Campbell River, BC, "it was tough but we got it together and got a good solid third place finish." Race action on the big 1/2 mile Oval was fast. There were a few minor on track incidents but not the mayhem that occurred at last Saturday night at Edmonton's Castrol Raceway. One driver noticeably missing from the Lethbridge race was Salmon Arm BC's Mike Tom. His car was written off in the Edmonton melee.

N.P.P. Race teams now have a two week break to prepare for the most grueling part of the 2006 season. Teams will compete at three consecutive back to back race weekends. Drayton Valley Alberta's Rapid Fire Motorsports Park plays host to the N.P.P. Late Model Series on June 17th and 18th. The Canada Day weekend (July 1/2) features the Oilmens Invitational at Edmonton's Castrol Raceway. July 14th and 15th the N.P.P Late Model series races once again in Edmonton.

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HEAVY RAIN CANCELS DRAYTON VALLEY EVENTDRAYTON VALLEY, AB(June 16) - The Northern Provincial Pipelines Late Model Series race event scheduled for this Saturday and Sunday, June 17th and 18th at Drayton Valley’s Rapid Fire Motorsports Park, has been cancelled due to bad weather conditions. “The grounds are too wet”, says event promoter Arvid Fonstad. “The roads leading into the facility are fine, it’s the parking and pit area that was our biggest concern. We didn’t need anyone wrecking anything this weekend.” Attendance at this year’s event was expected to be in the thousands. “A lot of families with motor homes and trailers were headed our way this weekend," adds Fonstad, "not to mention race teams with their rigs camping out at the track. We didn’t want to call it (the race) but felt it was the best thing to do for everyone involved.” Rapid Fire Motorsports Park has not had a major race event in almost 2 years. The Fathers Day ‘Mega’ Motorsports Weekend was going to be the biggest race event in this track’s young history. “We had mud bog racing, demo derby and tough truck action planned to start each day. The N.P.P. Late Model Series and Sportsman Sprint Cars were going to provide the action on the oval track. This was more than just a race,” says an obviously disappointed Fonstad, “it was going to be an event that other tracks in Alberta would find hard to match.” This was to be the N.P.P. Late Model Series first visit to Drayton Valley. “I was ready to go.” says current point leader Trevor Emond. The Leduc, Alberta driver has two victories (Rimbey, Edmonton) and one second place showing (Lethbridge) so far in 2006. “I just bought a new quad for my son, so guess what I’m doing this weekend!” One driver who will benefit from the race being cancelled is Mike Tom. “My new race car is not ready yet” says the Salmon Arm, BC driver. Tom was involved in a serious 3 car crash at Edmonton’s Castrol Raceway back on May 27th. “It was written off and believe it or not I’m still a little sore from the wreck.” Tom currently sits 19th in the N.P.P. Late Model standings. “I can’t miss any more races, I need the points, so I’m glad there’s already talk of it being rescheduled.” Dates for the “Mega” Motorsports Weekend at Rapid Fire Motorsports Park are currently being looked at. “We’re now looking at holding this event later this summer.” says Arvid Fonstad. “We’ll have to sit down with all parties involved (racers) and nail down the new race dates.”

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POPULAR SPRINT CAR DRIVER TO RACE NPP OILMENS EVENTEDMONTON, AB (June 28)– One of the top drivers from the Fountain Tire Alberta Sprint Tour makes his debut in a full bodied N.P.P. Late Model stock car this weekend at Castrol Raceway. Ardrossan’s Wade Fleming will be a special guest driver at the 13th annual Oilmen’s Invitational on Saturday and Sunday night. “I’m going out to have a little fun this weekend,” says the seven-time Castrol Raceway Sprint Car season champion, “I’ll jump in, drive it to the line and go, it shouldn’t be that stressful.” This is not the first time Fleming has been behind the wheel of a full bodied race car. “I tried it I think, 15 years ago. Tim Boychuk let me drive his Wissota Car back in the early days of the track before the N.P.P. Late Model class showed up.” says Fleming, “I lasted only a few laps when someone crashed into me.” Although Fleming may not be familiar with the N.P.P. Late Model race car, he is very familiar with the name Northern Provincial Pipelines. The Edson, Alberta based company has been a proud sponsor of Fleming’s #7 Sprint Car for close to a decade. “We bumped into each other at AMS Engines in Edmonton,” remembers N.P.P. owner and Late Model series founder Dwight Kennedy, “Unfortunately,” he says with a grin, “Wade was running a Chevy engine. We talked a lot about racing and our race cars and the next thing we were doing was putting a Dodge power plant in his Sprint Car.” Fleming, who has won 2 Castrol Raceway track championships the last four year’s is looking forward to this weekend’s event albeit a bit hesitantly. “It may take a few laps to get used to the car but I should be okay.” Dwight Kennedy indicates that having special guest drivers is a great way to promote the N.P.P. Late Model Series. “I’ve talked to a few other drivers who are currently checking their schedules. So I’m hoping for a few more surprise guest drivers before the end of the season.”

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CANADA DAY LONG WEEKEND OILMENS INVITATIONALEDMONTON, AB. (June 27) - The Northern Provincial Pipelines Late Model Series touches down at Edmonton’s Castrol Raceway this long holiday weekend. Saturday and Sunday night, race teams will compete at the 13th annual N.P.P. Oilmen’s Invitational. “There is $75,000 in cash and prizes up for grabs this weekend,” says N.P.P. tour announcer Gord Craig. “This is a big dollar Late Model Stock Car race event for everyone involved. It’s also the first back to back race weekend of the 2006 season.” adds Craig, “So far, race teams have had only single race nights to contend with, now it’s a two night battle (Saturday and Sunday).” One driver that can’t wait for the ‘battle’ is Mike Tom from Salmon Arm, British Columbia. Tom was involved in a serious 3 car crash in Edmonton back on May 27th and hasn’t raced since. “The number 55 car was unfortunately written off and believe it or not, I’m still a little sore from that wreck. One thing’s for sure I can’t wait to get back at it in my new car.” Another driver that is ready is 3 time N.P.P Late Model Series champion and current point leader Trevor Emond. “I’ve got a great car and a great crew so it’s up to me to take this car to the front both nights.” The Leduc Alberta driver is on a hot streak in 2006. Emond has never finished worse than second in a Feature event this season. Conditioning will be an important factor going into this weekend also. Both Saturday and Sunday nights Feature events will be 50 laps in length double what the drivers are normally used to running (25 laps). “It’s a long tough two nights of racing,” says Edson Alberta’s Dwight Kennedy winner of the last NPP series event in Lethbridge, “If I can put this Dodge up front again this weekend I’ll be happy.”